X-O Manowar #8 Spotlight: Penciling & Inking Part 2

X-O Manowar #8 Cover B by Christian Duce

 

While much of X-O Manowar #8 concerns Desmond's interactions with the Hive Mind's attack on New York City, writer Dennis Hopeless Hallum weaves a second plot strand into his narrative. For this sequence, Shanhara relates to Desmond what exactly happened to her during Aric's underwater battle with the nanite swarm in X-O Manowar #5. Thankfully, Shanhara relates her story to us visually, and those panels are penciled and inked by artist Jim Towe.

 

The way Jim captures scenes, and relates them to us in their simplest form, is immediately evident. The youthful vibe he portrayed in his earlier Valiant series, Doctor Tomorrow, is also apparent. 

 

 

Jim's style may seem less involved than X-O Manowar readers are used to. Still, as you can see from this flashback sequence, he throws an interesting perspective on that underwater battle. We're not used to viewing Aric from inside the armor, or how the sentient entity called Shanhara views her 5th Century Visigoth warrior.

 

 

Prior to the launch of X-O Manowar #1, then-Senior Editor Heather Antos promised readers that this new series would make it clear how very different X-O Manowar was from other comic book heroes-in-armor-suits. In X-O Manowar #8 she and Dennis Hopeless Hallum certainly delivered, courtesy of penciler and inking Jim Towe. 

Thanks for stepping in and bringing Shanhara's story to life, Jim! 

Dragon Dave

P.S. Yesterday I stated that penciler Emilio Laiso and inker Raffaele Forte only did the first few pages of X-O Manowar #8. After reading the physical book, as opposed to the lettermarked review copy, I now believe Emilio and Raffaele covered the entirety of Desmond's scenes. Read the issue, and decide for yourself.

Shadowman #2 Review: Evil in the Desert

 

Shadowman #2 Cover by Jon Davis-Hunt

With Valiant's comics strictly limited to twenty pages, departing Senior Editor Heather Antos made excellent use of her inside front covers. On series like Savage, X-O Manowar, and Quantum & Woody, she used social media-style posts to bring readers up to speed, enabling us to begin reading each new issue without wondering: 

"Um, what was it that happened in last issue?"

In Shadowman #2, Heather gives us a full-page recap from the wily and colorful King of the Deadside: Baron Samedi. What better way to begin reading a horror comic?

On the first page, we meet a family. They seem quite ordinary. But little signs in their words and actions seem...wrong.

 

The father, driving along this lonely stretch of road, slows when he spots a hitchhiker. Perhaps he's motivated merely by compassion. Perhaps he feels the stories of violence and tragedy concerning hitchhikers are overblown.

Still, he's the protector of his family. He's miles from anyone and everything. And he seems unconcerned about the dangers the hitchhiker might present to his family.

 

He regards the hitchhiker as a novelty. 

Hm. Remind me. When did hitchhikers become an endangered species?

The children also seem unafraid. But how can the son have never heard about hiphikers? 

Sorry: hitchhikers.

 

Predictably, when the hitchhiker lives up to the worst stereotypes,

 

the mother reveals that her family is far from ordinary.

You know: the family that kills together...

 

 

Enoch: a ghost town in Arizona. Long abandoned.

The family is traveling there. The hitchhiker is traveling there. And now, so is Shadowman and his new best-frenemy Baron Samedi.

 

Immediately, Shadowman senses something in the town. Like the family traveling in the station wagon, the town seems familiar, but also alien.

He takes a step into the Deadside, to discover that demons inhabit the town that humans abandoned.

 

Enoch: a man who walked with God. A man who never died.

The Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament) records that he was taken directly to Heaven. Religious leaders attributed books to him, some of which can be found in the Apocrypha of a Catholic Bible. Scholars taught that he became the guardian of the celestial treasures, that he learned all mysteries, and became commander of God's angels.

Yet according to the medieval French Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, better known by his acronym Rashi, God removed Enoch from the Earth to save this righteous man from returning to evil. 

 

 

Perhaps God should have removed the town of Enoch from our world too. For whatever evil it might have allowed once, the town now seems consumed by it.

As our protector, Shadowman cannot feel fear as ordinary humans do. Still, he can sense evil, and it disgusts him.

 

Shadowman must fight a battle in Enoch. There will be violence. There will be blood. Yet Shadowman #2 also asks: How much are we responsible for the evil in our world? 

Like the family who allowed the hitchhiker into their car, in what ways do we invite evil into our hearts, where unwatched and unguarded against, it may eventually thrive?

 

Shadowman #2 entertains with thoughtful plot and dialogue by Cullen Bunn. Amid the drama and the battle, penciler and inker Jon Davis-Hunt delivers a believable and immersive experience. The issue glows with beautiful coloring by Jordie Bellaire and the artistic lettering of Clayton Cowles. The creative team combine their talents into a  symphony of horror.

Shadowman #2 Cover B by Caspar Wijngaard

 

And then, there are the haunting and appealing covers. 

 

Shadowman #2 Cover C (Horror Cover) by Francesco Francavilla

 

All affordable, and most likely, obtainable.

Shadowman #2 Pre-Order Cover by Annie Wu

 

The Book of Enoch relates how evil came into our world, and how it made the Biblical flood necessary. Shadowman #2 reveals the devastation that evil can still wreak in our world when you allow it a foothold in your heart.

Protect thyself from evil. Read Shadowman #2.

Dragon Dave

Savage #4 Preview Pages

 

Savage #4 Cover A by Marcus To & Rico Renzi

After three pulse-pounding issues, the final issue of Savage arrives tomorrow. This series has blown-open our conceptions of what a Savage series can and should be about. If you love the way Max Bemis, Nathan Stockman, Triona Farrell, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, and departing editor Heather Antos have expanded the Savage franchise, you won't be disappointed with this final installment.

Without further ado, here's your moment of Savage zen.

 

 

The turmoil. The angst. The talking dinosaurs who take up farming? Trust me: you haven't seen anything yet. 

I enjoyed discovering how the creative team sewed all the plotlines together in this final issue, and am looking forward to sharing my thoughts with you. Make sure you hit your local comic shop tomorrow: you won't want to miss out on this final--and extremely Savage--issue!

Dragon Dave

Savage #2: The Writing of Max Bemis Part 1

 

 

Under the guidance of Senior Editor Heather Antos, author Max Bemis has crafted a completely different world for young Kevin Sauvage to inhabit. In Valiant's first Savage series, Kevin lived on an island located in the dimension known as the Faraway. There, after the death of his parents, he interacted with nature in all its forms. This became especially rich and colorful as the island was also populated with dinosaurs.

 

 

For this second Savage series, author Max Bemis works hard to make Kevin's new home of modern London just as rich and colorful. In Savage #1, he showed Kevin triumphing in the social media landscape, and in a way, ruling as a king (at least among the youth culture) in this world-class city. In Savage #2, he takes on the literary and cultural history of England. 

Since the British government, and leaders such as Winston Churchill, worked underground to protect the country during World War II, writers have often hypothesized about what else might be going on underneath the capital city. In Savage #2, we learn that Project Bizarre, under the leadership of Professor Nealon, has set up his premises beneath these historic streets. 

 

 

We also lean into post WWII cultural mythology, with the notion that intelligence agencies employ spies to protect us from the potentially world-ending plots of supervillains. Thus, the need for inventive people to develop super-weapons to counter the supervillains' super-weapons, such as the colorful agent Q in the James Bond franchise.

Of course, the mad scientist is another type of story that writer Max Bemis mines in Savage #2. Story Editor Terrance Dicks has often lamented that, during his tenure on Doctor Who, the third Doctor was largely stuck on Earth. This left Dicks with two possible types of plots to exploit: alien invasion and mad scientist. Of course, just because you're stuck with a given framework doesn't mean you can't craft interesting and unique stories from it. 

Like Terrance Dicks, Max Bemis has found a way to make Professor Nealon shine as a unique villain in this mad scientist story.

 

One thing that Max Bemis, along with Nathan Stockman's penciling and inking, makes clear right away is that Professor Nealon has never been focused on the consequences of his research. He just loves inventing. He's like Q without a conscience. It doesn't matter who gets hurt along the way. The more spectacular the result of his research, the more consequential Nealon feels.

After awhile, it doesn't matter that the American government stopped funding him. Professor Nealon moved Project Bizarre into Winston Churchill's underground bunkers, and continued his work in England. 

 

Like all the best supervillains, he clearly sees himself as the king of his castle: the ruler of his domain. If anyone stands in his way, as Kevin intends to, well, he'll just take what he wants.

In Kevin's case, District 9 style.

 

In Savage #2, writer Max Bemis explores the rich tapestry of post WWII British storytelling, and does it in a fun and zany way. I haven't even suggested a comparison yet with Roald Dahl's beloved novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, have I? Did I really need to?

Dragon Dave

Savage #2: The Coloring of Triona Farrell

 

 

Sometimes, if you read books from a given editor or publisher, you can get a sense of what type of stories they like to produce. After reading last year's Quantum & Woody miniseries, as well as her ongoing X-O Manowar series, I get the impression that Senior Editor Heather Antos favors a very fun and friendly color palette. I wouldn't necessarily term it pastel, as many of the colors are strong and bright. But they seem soft and rich, and overall, I enjoy the effect they give her books.

Of course, I cannot go further without mentioning that the colorist on Quantum & Woody and X-O Manowar is Ruth Redmond, and the rich way she colors X-O Manowar has made me very much her newest fan.

By the way, if you have not yet read the preview pages for Savage #2, I would encourage you to page through this blog and do so. While I try not to drop any spoilers, reading the preview graciously provided by the folks at Valiant Comics may give you a greater appreciation for this focus on Triona Farrell's efforts.

 

In Savage, Triona Farrell takes on the privilege of coloring Kevin Sauvage's adventures in London, England. Her coloring brings this busy world-class capital city to life, and helps us believe in a youth culture fascinated by the latest internet sensation. With Savage #2, she ushers us into the secret research facilities of Project Bizarre.

 

While Triona colors the central action in this panel in bright, fun colors, I'm struck by how she frames this scene with darker blues and greens. That rivets our attention on Kevin and his captor, Professor Nealon, while also showing us the scope of just one of his laboratories.

Still, she tantalizes us with all we can't see, such as the pinkish creature in the glass enclosure on the right hand side. I wonder what kind of animal or dinosaur that tail or tentacle belongs to?

 

This panel, with its bluer, or cooler colors, reinforces Professor Nealon's view that bioweapons are cool. I also like how Triona's cast him in shadow. Is this her subtle way of suggesting that, despite his disarming manner, he's really an evil villain?

 

Here's another interesting contrast of light and darkness. While I suspect that penciler Nathan Stockman would have inked in the equipment on either side, the background has been left blank and devoid of color. This focuses us on the characters. Intriguingly, while Triona casts Professor Nealon in some shadow, she bathes Kevin in it. 

Meanwhile, Mae shines vibrantly, clearly the center of attention. I want to know more about Mae, please!

 

 

The way the background coloring of the Project Bizarre facility leans heavily toward green makes me wonder what writer Max Bemis, or perhaps Senior Editor Heather Antos, is trying to suggest. Does the way Letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou colored the term "Savage" in this panela relate to Triona's coloring of the secret research laboratory? Or for that matter, the way Triona has colored most of the dinosaurs in Savage #2 green?

Regardless of my colorful musings, Triona Farrell has enriched Savage #2 with her talents. The series stands comfortably beside Ruth Redmond's contributions to Quantum & Woody and X-O Manowar. Senior Editor Heather Antos is to be congratulated for utilizing such talented colorists, and injecting youthful fun in her series for Valiant Comics.

Dragon Dave

Shadowman History & Covers

I was going to kick off my review of Bloodshot #12, the final issue (at least for now) of writer Tim Seeley's outstanding series. But the good folks at Valiant Comics sent me a press release for Shadowman, so I thought I'd better shelve the Bloodshot discussion so we could talk Shadowman today. 

I'll intersperse my comments with some of the fabulous covers Valiant is producing for their upcoming Shadowman series.

Shadowman #1 Cover A by Jon Davis-Hunt

I met Jack Boniface in the very first Valiant comic I read. That was Ninjak #10, written by Matt Kindt. Although the issue was released in December 2015, I most likely read it in January 2016. In that story, Colin King (aka Ninjak) found Jack Boniface trapped in the Deadside. Jack had been through some rough times, and was going by the name Magpie instead of Shadowman. He was a tortured soul, bound in chains, and seemingly doomed to an eternity in the Deadside.

After reading that first issue, I had to know what would happen to Ninjak in this visually stunning realm. I returned to my local comic shop the following week, and asked if the next issue was out. The owner pulled it off the shelf for me. I took it home, and read about Ninjak, and his interactions with Jack Boniface, aka Magpie, aka Shadowman. Thus began my Valiant journey. 

Shadowman #1 Cover B by Rod Reis

 

In Summer 2017, Ninjak and Shadowman returned to the Deadside. It's been awhile since I read Rapture, this four-issue story written by Matt Kindt, but I know I enjoyed it. I also seem to remember that the artwork reminded me of the epic journeys through Middle Earth chronicled in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

 

Cover C (Horror Movie Homage) by Dave Johnson

 

Valiant Entertainment first updated the 1990s interpretation of Jack Boniface with a Shadowman series in 2012. They followed this with the three-issue miniseries Shadowman: End Times in 2014. My first series of Shadowman started in March 2018. It started with a bang, thanks to writer Andy Diggle's storytelling skills. Sadly, Andy Diggle had to compensate his own series to coincide with Harbinger Wars 2. 

Harbinger Wars 2 was Valiant's big summer event, and drew in most of the major Valiant heroes. I remember the Ninja-K series coped with this by explaining that the story arc published alongside Harbinger Wars 2 took place before the big crossover event. Meanwhile, on X-O Manowar, writer Matt Kindt had Shanhara remind Aric of incidents in his past during those four issues.

On Shadowman, Andy Diggle compensated by killing Jack Boniface. No, really! With his spirit trapped, and his corpse packed off to the funeral home, Jack watched, powerless, as he was shown people from past eras who had taken on the mantle of Shadowman. While I found these stories interesting, I think new Shadowman readers may have found this approach confusing. After Harbinger Wars 2 ended, Jack returned to the land of the living, thanks to the intervention of some powerful friends. Sadly, the series ended all too soon, with issue #11.  

Pre-Order Cover by Tony Moore

 

Valiant Entertainment has over two thousand characters in its superhero universe. Still, it is a small publishing company, with limited resources. At the best of times, it can only produce a few titles every month. 

Shadowman has many passionate fans, and Valiant worked hard to get out a new series last year. Sadly, the Covid-19 pandemic delayed it until this year. Finally, Shadowman is finally returning to comic book stores on April 28th, thanks to the creative efforts of writer Cullen Bunn, artist Jon Davis-Hunt, colorist Jordie Bellaire, and letterer Clayton Cowles. 

Make sure you let your retailer know what cover you want, and that you're looking forward to Shadowman's return.

Dragon Dave

Savage #1 Review: Max Bemis' Writing

 

Pre-Order Cover by Guisseppe Cammuncoli

 

WRITING

Max Bemis may be a rock star--literally--but he's also written comics for Boom!, Avatar, Dynamite, and Marvel. Some of his stories spring with his own battles with Bipolar Disorder. I don't know if you could classify Kevin Sauvage as Bipolar, but it doesn't take a genius to recognize that given his upbringing, he would find it difficult to come to grips with modern London.

In fact, lots of people find it difficult to deal with life in London. It's easy to get lost, and disconnected in a big city. This is especially true in the winter, when it's cold and it gets dark mid-afternoon. 

 

By now you've got a general sense of Max's story. Take a second look at Kevin's profile on social media. If you read the previous series of Savage, you know it's not completely true. But this short paragraph is simple to understand. It focuses on Kevin's daily life-and-death struggle with dinosaurs. This little lie in presentation shows how Kevin is being coached in his usage of social media and presentation.

Also, the very British term "Bugger off" seems a bit of a pose. It strikes me as a "Hey, I'm cool. If you don't like me, too bad," sort of statement. Or, if you prefer, something to enhance his Savage appeal.

 

I get the feeling that Kevin's had about as much programming from his manager as he can take. The man senses he's losing his hold on his young charge, and is trying to reassert his power in the relationship by underlining how much Kevin needs him.

There's a little discontinuity here, as in the previous series his mother was shown representing his father. But people like professional sportsmen often have a bevy of people surrounding them, each representing different interests. Take, for example, a suggestion later that Kevin may have produced, or otherwise been involved with an album since coming to London. If so, he would have enlisted several folks in the music industry to help him out with this. 

 

This advisor lists his specialty as "Life Coach" and "Brand Manager." It's safe to say Kevin would have other advisors as well.

 

Here's another example of how the manager is promoting Kevin. He's mixing truth with lies to create a fantasy version of Kevin's childhood. Not only does he acknowledge this, but every subsequent dialogue balloon shows this. His father was a capable but fading talent. The manager focuses exclusively on Kevin's father, while his mother had far more influence over their son. Kevin can't talk with animals, wasn't raised by animals, and Mowgli didn't go around killing every predatory animal in sight. And while Kevin has skills and ability, he's certainly no superman.

Kevin's expression suggests to me that the man's lies are really weighing him down. He's tired of living a lie.

Die-hard lovers of the previous series will have a problem with the second half of this story. I warn you: this new Savage #1 takes a very definite left-turn. In order to really enjoy it, leave all your preconceptions about the previous series behind. 

Even with the preview pages, I was taken aback by the entirety of Max Bemis' story. Savage #1 suddenly veers from one type of story to another. Some people will like this abrupt change of direction. Others won't. I won't give the game away. I'll just say that Savage #1 takes on the form of a genre of film that rhymes with "Bless you."

 

Oh, and if you notice the names of Kevin's followers, you'll realize that Senior Editor Heather Antos was building this up to this major plot development from the inside front cover.

 

CONCLUSION

This new Savage #1 is nothing like its predecessor. If only a direct sequel will do, you're out of luck. But if you like London, dinosaurs, a certain genre of film, and are in the mood for some zany fun, then this new Savage series might be for you.

Hold on, and get ready for a wild ride. 

Dragon Dave

Savage #1 Review: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou's Lettering

Cover A by Marcus To

 

With her new Savage series, Senior Editor Heather Antos has followed through on an earlier promise to give any series she oversees a completely different look and feel from its predecessors. This can make it difficult to unpack a new series, and review the first issue on its own merits. So I thought I might try to review this new Savage #1 by sneaking up on it. You know, like a hunter, sneaking up on an unsuspecting-but-vicious dinosaur.

 

LETTERING

 

When we read comics, we try to hear the characters' voices in our heads. What we can't hear is what words in a sentence the speaker is stressing. So usually, a letterer will make those words bold to help us hear the way a person talks. Letterer Hassan Ostmane-Elhaou does more than that. He enlarges some words, and gives them color. 

 

In Savage #1, Hassan using the colors red and green. You may notice as you read that both Kevin Sauvage and his manager utter both red and green words. I'm not sure why he uses those colors, and what they signify. Perhaps, in later issues, his rationale will become clear.

Or maybe he was just coloring this issue around Christmas-time.

 

When young Kevin is being interviewed for Teen Zine, his mind drifts back to growing up in the Faraway, when he battled dinosaurs, and every day was a struggle for survival. As you can see, the narrative box is colored in, and given irregular, or even jagged edges.

There are more little tricks Hassan uses for dialogue and narrative, in addition to the big sound effects. If you look closely at the narrative boxes and dialogue balloons above, you'll notice quite a few different techniques he uses to help us hear the characters' intonations. They all help draw me into this very real, and at the same time rather surreal--story. Overall, I have to say I'm very impressed with his lettering in this issue.

Dragon Dave